Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Calcium Supplements and Bone Health



As we age, our bodies get less efficient at maintaining themselves. Our bones, for instance, get stronger when we're young, because the body replaces lost bone matter quickly. But at some point, this process reverses, and we just can't produce new bone cells fast enough to replace what we've lost. But women don't have to submit quietly to this state of affairs.

Most people know that calcium is good for your bones. But though this is common knowledge, many Americans still aren't getting the calcium they need. This isn’t necessarily by choice. People may mistakenly think they're getting enough calcium. But to promote bone health, you've got to do more than just consume as much of it as you can find; you need other things too, especially vitamin D.

A good calcium supplement, which contains calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients, is a great way to complement a healthy diet. We need lots of these things to keep our bones strong, and for many, that's difficult—especially if they've got dietary restrictions keeping them from calcium-rich foods, like dairy products.

It's never too early to start thinking about bone health. Doing so now may prevent a lot of pain and inconvenience years down the road. So whatever your age, it's a good idea to start taking calcium supplements. Your future self will thank you.